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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Women and public prayer no longer go together

Its official. Women are no longer expected to participate in public prayer. My proof comes thanks to my crack Haredi correspondent who shared the following newspaper clippings with me. They are part of a description for a weekend some organization sponsored to teach parents how to best serve their disabled children.

As you can see, the organizers take it for granted that women won't be interested in attending the services. To keep them entertained, programming has been scheduled while the men at prayers.

Women may be exempt from participating in public prayers but (a) they still receive the benefits men receive and (b) the exemption is granted, not because women are deemed incompatible with public prayer, but because whoever established the rules thought their time would be better spent watching children. But,this weekend was for parents only. No children were in attendance. But instead of taking advantage of a golden opportunity to pray with a minyan, these women preferred to hear Marion Fine's "side-splittingly humorous takes on life."

By the way, I have the same complaint about women at weddings, or other events, who not only refuse to join the ad hoc mincha minyamim that pop up all over the place, but can't even be bothered to answer the kaddish or kedusha as they walk by.

For now, I'm merely reporting. Better amature sociologists can explain why its happened and what it means, but I maintain this is a Very Bad Development, for women and for Judaism.

If it relates to Jews, Judaism, holidays, Midrash,Torah, halacha or anything similar, I probably have a post on it. And if I have a post on it, I probably have a good comment thread with great reader-provided information, too.

Try a search and see for yourself. If you can't find what you're looking for ask me.

Quotes

רֹאשׁ דְּבָרְךָ אֱמֶת קוֹרֵא מֵרֹאשׁ דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַם דּוֹרֶשְׁךָ דְּרֹשׁ
Your chief word is "truth"; You've called it out since the beginning. In each generation people interpret You [for themselves] and find [their own] meaning.

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd. -Flannery O'Connor

“When in the afterglow of religious insight I can see a way that is good for all humans as it is for me—I will know it is His way.” - R. Abraham Joshua Heschel

I don't accept at all the quite popular argument that the press is responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. The monarchy's responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. To blame the press is the old thing of blaming the messenger for the message. -Anthony Holden

Said behind my back

"...he's trying to show that there are other facets to Orthodox Judaism. That we don't all think one way and vote one way. And he's occasionally entertaining when he's not being mean-spirited" [PsychoToddler]"

"He's witty. He's funny. He appreciates the ridiculous in life, and has no qualms about telling you when he thinks that you're being a moron" [Cara]

" I'm pretty sure [DovBear] is a really great guy who just wants to be able to ask questions and talk about things without the fear of someone claiming he's off the derech or on his way there." [Chaviva]